0 in 42 Inches

[Rebel]

Mike i tried 1 1/4, 1 3/8, 1 1/2, and 1 5/8 oz of shot with 70 gr and 80 gr of 3f. I don't have any 2f powder to try right now, and the season starts next Sat. so not much time left to get it worked out. I tired about every combination of wads i could think of, including paper shot cups and plastic cups. The best came with the plastic shot cups, but i don't want to have to use them in a flintlock. If i could just get a repeatable pattern out to 25 yds i would be happy.

 

[Rebel]

I hadn't though about the lead in the oven. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Rebel]

Yes i do like it. This thing fits me like it was custom made for me, which it weren't, i bought it from another member here. The drop, length of pull, everything fits just right. It shoots right where i point it, even with no rear sight on it. Who says you need twist and sights to hit something. :grin:

 

[Rebel]

Well, maybe i should just get some special steel shot cups and use #1 steel, I know it is hard and throws a good pattrn. Just don't have much down range energy, but it should be ok out to 30 yds. Shouldn't hurt the bore with the plastic cups and no choke in the bore. Just not at all Traditional is all. Just kidding guys, you can put out the flaming arrows now. :grin:

 

[Leatherbark]

Beware of them overshot cards as some dont hold a ball in very well..........If you take off walking with your gun in one hand by yer side ,you can feel the bare ball roll that card up the barrel..................Bob

 

[Leatherbark]

Try Caywoods recipe for shot........after you dump yer powder ,use 3 or 4 thin oveshot cards a few inches down the barrel ,,,,,then pour your shot in and put some corn muffin mix in with it.......might have to shake it into the shot...........finish with an over shot card and slowly push the whole shebang against the powder.............Read about it on Caywoods site........They say use the thin overshot cards for everything..........OH this is for lead................Bob

 

[Rebel]

Leatherbark, i want to use lead shot. I tried 3 thin overshot cards over the powder the other day and then the shot and an other thin card over the shot. The VM Starr approach. Maybe the corn meal buffer would help though. Will give it a try and see. I tried to find some plated shot locally today, but no luck. Too late now to order it and get it here by next Sat. Ohh well, maybe i will get some for the fall season. Thanks. Take care.

 

[AZ-Robert]

Too late now to order it and get it here by next Sat.

Maybe, but give these folks a call before you give up on that idea:
[url] http://www.precisionreloading.com/[/url]

They ship using the post office's flat rate boxes, which usually get where they are going in only a few days. Shipping is $8.10 per box, and they can get up to two 25 lb bags in a box. Happy to mix up that order too... say a bag of #4 and a bag of #6, or whatever.

 

[Rebel]

Thanks for the site Robert.

 

[rabbit03]

Hey Reb with shooting like that who needs shot!

rabbit03

 

[Rebel]

Yea i was thinking the same thing. A .600 rd ball should stop a tom. :grin: Too bad it isn't legal here.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Couple of thoughts. First, heating lead shot and balls has to be at about 400 degrees to do any good. Lower temps won't help at all. It has to heat for about an hour. The shot or balls can be rolled off the cookie sheet, or whatever, into cool water but go slow and don't let the water splash about. This works best of pure lead shot and I haven't tried it with alloyed shot.

The second thought is to try heavier paper than paper bag, etc. I had good luck using post card thick stock but has to have a gap of single layer material at the side.

A third thought is to up your shot volume to 1&1/2 the powder volume. This sometimes helps. As Musketman mentioned, and you seemed to have attempted, you need to try all the possible combos of cards and wads. Sooner of later the gun will tell you what it likes best! Good luck.

 

[Rebel]

Wes, thanks, but it already told me what it likes best. A .600 rd ball. :grin: Darn straight shootin' gun anyhoo. Take care.

 

[musketman]

Yea i was thinking the same thing. A .600 rd ball should stop a tom. :grin: Too bad it isn't legal here.

Ok Rebel, I have the solution you seek...

Using suet ball technology, simply mix the shot in molten beeswax, once almost cool, roll the shot into .600 diameter balls... (a .600 round ball mold could be used to cold press the waxed shot into shape)

(shot balls)

Loads like a roundball, but its legal for turkeys because it's still shot... :hmm: :grin:

 

[Rebel]

Ok, now yer talkin'. A Glaser safety slug for smoothbores. And if i use chocolate chip cookie dough, i can eat it if i don't get a turkey with it. :grin:

 

[roundball]

Yea i was thinking the same thing. A .600 rd ball should stop a tom. :grin: Too bad it isn't legal here.

Ok Rebel, I have the solution you seek...

Using suet ball technology, simply mix the shot in molten beeswax, once almost cool, roll the shot into .600 diameter balls... (a .600 round ball mold could be used to cold press the waxed shot into shape)

(shot balls)

Loads like a roundball, but its legal for turkeys because it's still shot... :hmm: :grin:

Ahhhh....a devious mind....and Reb, if you don't have any beeswax, just tightly fold over both ends of the paper shot cup :grin:

 

[Rebel]

I had one of the paper shot cups go through like a big slug yesterday. I had to split the sides part way down to make them open up.

 

[Hoyt]

There's a florida gobbler walking around that owes it's life to that slug effect.
Scince I got one bird under my belt now..or we got..Zelldoe, the flintlock and me..I've gone back to playin on the edge with the shot cups.
I'm leavin the paper cup about 1/8" longer than shot column in hopes of it staying around shot just a little farther out of the barrel.
However, I'm slitting length-ways tabs in the paper cup to make sure it don't hang on too long like with the slug effect.
My best patterns with the cup came with it a little bit long...

 

[gmww]

Quick question. Do I get over powder wads and over shot wads the same size of the bore or a little smaller. ie. 20 ga gun with 19 ga. wads? Thanks.

 

[AZ-Robert]

Quick question. Do I get over powder wads and over shot wads the same size of the bore or a little smaller. ie. 20 ga gun with 19 ga. wads? Thanks.

I buy mine in the gauge of the gun... for my 20 ga (0.615") I buy the cards and wads labled for 20 ga. Good fit. If you get one too small, the card won't be tight enough to hold the shot in. If you get one too tight, you'll have trouble getting it to sit flush on top without folding up. Go with the ones labled the same as the gauge of your gun.